Final Story

Fraudulent e-mails concerning H1N1 from CDC – Final Story: Enterprise/News Feature
Kerry Gugliotto

Headline:
H1N1 Scam Spreads
Summary:
WSU officials warn students to be on the alert for fraudulent e-mails that refer to state vaccination programs for H1N1.
These e-mails appear to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and are causing malicious codes to be installed to users’ computer systems nationwide.
The CDC is unsure of the effects of the code the fake e-mail installs, Kristen Nordlund, a CDC press officer said.
Health and Wellness Services advises students to be skeptical and to use more than one source to confirm validity before entering personal information online.
“Any unsolicited e-mail that asks you to enter personal information should be questioned,” said Paula M. Adams, the communication coordinator for HWS. “In this instance, calling the CDC or checking the CDC Web site would clear up the question.”
The fraudulent messages tell users that the CDC is initiating a state vaccination program and people over 18 must create a “personal H1N1 vaccination profile” on the CDC Web site whether or not they plan on getting a vaccine.
The CDC has not implemented a state wide vaccination program that requires registration. The CDC cautions users to not open or respond to unsolicited e-mail messages, to be careful when entering personal information online and to be careful when visiting untrusted Web sites, Nordlund said.
The CDC does not send e-mails to users who have not voluntarily given them their e-mail address, and the CDC will never ask users for any personal information, she said.
Fortunately, the scam has not caused major damage, she said.
“The morning we found out about people receiving these e-mails, we put a notification up,” she said.
Three days later, WSU put up notifications on WSU’s flu guidance Web site and WSU Today, said Christopher Tapfer, a WSU emergency management coordinator.
“I have not heard whether there have been any local cases of people getting these false e-mails,” he said.
A similar fraud occurred with the anthrax scare, Nordlund said. It was the same type of e-mails that appeared to be from the CDC, and tried to get users to give out personal information.
Though the CDC is not offering a state-wide vaccination program, HWS still has about 650 doses of H1N1 vaccine left and has given out about 1,300 so far, Adams said. The vaccines are available in both shot and nasal-spray form.
Because students have requested appointments through finals week, they can now be made either online or by phone until Friday.
“The amount of vaccine that is available varies by area. We have received vaccine for WSU students because the age range of college students typically puts them into a category where they are considered at higher risk than older people,” Adams said.
All vaccines are free for students and HWS recommends that every student gets vaccinated, Adams said. There is a possibility that HWS will be able to give WSU employees and other non-students vaccines, but until then non-students can check availability with Whitman County Public Health.
Related Web sites:
http://www.cdc.gov/hoaxes_rumors.html
This article was written by Kerry Gugliotto,
kerbear732@yahoo.com
Contacts:
Christopher Tapfer
509-335-7471
tapfer@wsu.edu
Paula M. Adams
509-335-7884
padams@wsu.edu
Kristen Nordlund
404-639-7387

3 ledes

Write three (3) speech ledes based on the information provided. Translate the quotes into news ledes. Remember to attribute.


1. District 9 Sen. Mark Schoesler on potential WSU budget cuts


“Until the economy is turned around, higher education is always at risk.”

Background: WSU cut its budget by $54 million earlier this year. Tuition has increased by 14 percent since the university fiscal budget was announced last spring. It will increase by another 14 percent in the next school year.

Until the economy improves, WSU is likely to undergo more major cuts and tuition increases, District 9 Sen. Mark Schoeler said.

2. WSU President Elson S. Floyd:


“Christine [Gregoire] has told me they plan to cut higher education by $99 million. She happens to have a very different view from me on how that money should be distributed.”

Background: WSU cut its budget by $54 million earlier this year. Tuition has increased by 14 percent since the university fiscal budget was announced last spring. It will increase by another 14 percent in the next school year.

Higher education is facing cuts of $99 million in the upcoming legislative session, and many have different views on how that money should be distributed, Elson S. Floyd said.


3. Write a lede based on this background information:

Background: Andrew Storfer, an associate professor at the WSU School of Biological Sciences, spoke to the zoology club Wednesday at Eastlick Hall. He said about 180 amphibian species are extinct, and a very small amount of amphibian species actually had an increase in population. Storfer said 43 percent of amphibian populations worldwide are in decline. He listed six probable causes: habitat destruction, invasive species, exploitation, global climate change, contaminants, and emerging diseases.

Amphibian populations face threats that will likely add to the already 180 species that are extinct, Andrew Storfer said Wednesday night at Eastlick Hall.

Speech Story

Elected District 9 Representatives Discuss Budget Concerns – Speech Story
Kerry Gugliotto

Headline:
Legislators Address Budget Concerns
Summary:
Higher education will not be spared from the coming state budget cuts, Rep. Joe Schmick said on Tuesday night in the Honors Hall Lounge.
Legislative District 9 Reps. Susan Fagan, Schmick and Sen. Mark Schoesler spoke Tuesday to a crowd of about 45 people regarding budget shortfalls and other issues that will be in the legislature’s agenda this January.
“Until we get our economy turned around, higher education is always at risk,” Schoesler said.
Concerns about increased tuition came from both WSU students and Pullman residents at the meeting.
“I understand that times are difficult, but I’m hoping the budget does not cause our tuition to increase by a lot,” said Emily Tessier, a junior communication major and audience member.
The representatives responded to these concerns by saying they will know more after Gov. Chris Gregoire releases a proposal budget in mid-December.
Audience member, Celena Canode, a senior political science major said she came to the event because she was interested to hear about the state level budget problems.
“The legislative is in a difficult situation, but I would like to not see a raise in taxes on the services we expect and need,” she said.
The proposed budget will be a “shocker,” Schoesler said. He expects it to be vague and assume revenue. The state budget is projected to be more than $2 billion in the red, he said.
After the last session “tanked,” there were warnings that the current budget mess would come so it should not be any surprise, Schoesler said.
Prioritizing spending by making more cuts, not increasing taxes and creating more jobs was the representatives’ theme as they each spoke about the current budget shortfall.
“In my observation, close observation, of regulations in the last 10 years, we are spending more money than we have,” Fagan said. “State revenues have gone up, but so has spending. This makes prioritizing our money (as) one way to start fixing the budget shortfall.”
While making the budget, 70 percent of it is protected, but the other 30 percent will be looked at for cuts, Schoesler said.
Some of the cuts are expected to be made from disabilities services, prisons, economic support for low-income families, basic education, state-funded environmental, natural resource protection and higher education.
Schmick said he believes that to improve the economy, more jobs need to be created, people need to get employed and then they need to spend money.
“It sounds simple, but we struggle in this area to keep our businesses,” he said.
Fagan agreed by saying the Boeing Company and a lot of equally important smaller businesses are leaving the state of Washington, causing a lack of jobs.
“When you graduate, we want to make sure you have job opportunities,” she said.
For students to leave WSU with the potential of a career, residents need to support businesses, making the economy the No. 1 priority, Fagan said. One way to do this is to focus on the private sector.
Fagan said she will focus on this as she gets started as a representative.
“I do have a lot to learn, but I am very eager to take on the challenges that lie ahead,” she said.
Related web sites:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Results.aspx?District=09
http://www.governor.wa.gov/priorities/budget/default.asp

This article was written by Kerry Gugliotto,
kerbear732@yahoo.com
Contacts:
Celena Canode
calenacanode@gmail.com
(360) 286–3073
Emily Tessier
(425) 213-8186
Mark Schoesler
(360) 786-7620
Susan Fagan
(360) 786-7942
Joe Schmick
(360) 786-7844
Schmick.joe@leg.wa.gov
Three questions for the speakers:
1. How will the budget cuts effect WSU students? (Tuition increase? By how much?)
2. What areas of the budget do you think should be cut and which areas should not be? Why?
3. Besides the budget shortfall, what other issues will be salient in the upcoming legislative session?